Alpena to offer punch-card passes for athletic events

August 15, 2013

The Alpena High School athletic office is revamping it's approach to admissions for the upcoming school year.

Rather than the season passes that have been used in the past, Alpena will introduce punch cards for the upcoming school year. The cards will be available for $30 and will have ten punches per card that can be used for admission to any Alpena regular season athletic event.

The punch card works out to paying $3 per event and it can also be used at any time, since the card has no expiration date. The card is only good for regular season contests however as the Michigan High School Athletic Association sets different prices for tournament games.

"We want people to think about using the passes. It's a way to get in cheaper and it allows us to pay for some things up front," Alpena Athletic Director Tim Wedge said.

Wedge said one of the benefits of the card is that it works well for groups wanting to attend games. A group of four people for example can get in with a single card and four punches would go on the card, one for each person that uses it.

"If you have friends from out of the area and all four of you want to go to the game, that's four punches on the card," Wedge said.

Alpena High and ACES students who want to attend single games will be able to get in for $1 with an I.D. Single game ticket prices will remain the same for everyone else-$5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students without I.D. or students attending games from out of the area.

The athletic office had hoped to have the cards ready during back-to-school events next week, but Wedge said he's now hoping the cards will be ready in time for Alpena's first home contests.

Once they've available, the punch cards can be purchased at the athletic office and will also be available at the athletic ticket booths at games. Anyone with questions can contact the athletic office at 358-5313.

James Andersen can be reached via email at sports@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5694. Follow James on Twitter @ja_alpenanews.